The 1886 South Australian Football Association season was the 10th season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia.

This was the first season in South Australia that quarters were played, allowing ends to be changed four times per match.

(Now called Park 11: Mistletoe Park / Tainmuntilla) For the first time for several years past a senior association football match was played on an outside ground.

This was rendered necessary by the exclusion of the clubs from the Adelaide and Kensington ovals, in consequence of the unfortunate dispute which has arisen between them and the custodians of the grounds mentioned respecting the percentage of the gate money each is entitled to.

[6] The figures for club and ground attendances are only based on those given above.